Pitiful
by A Simple Jester
Summary: Flaky is tired of feeling pathetic and weak. She desperately wants to become tougher. However, she's awfully hesitant to accept Flippy's help. (Humanized)
1. Chapter 1

Ch.1

"Another disappointment." Flaky thought to herself, while gazing down at her eggplant parmesan. It used to be one of her favorite meals, but it seemed less appetizing every time she ordered it. Instead of trying something different, the nostalgia persuaded her to get the same things, over and over again. "Maybe it'll taste better this time." But it never did.

"At least I'm with friends."

She quietly listened as they chatted, while she stared at her displeasing plate. Flaky didn't enjoy wasting food, so she reluctantly ate it, very slowly.

The runt of girl had thin fingers and pale skin. She was a frail thing, with a rectangular body. Her stomach was flat, and so was her chest. She had thick, dark-red hair that reached down to the middle of her back. Her eyes were dark brown, and there was a light dusting of freckles underneath them.

While the others spoke about work or relationships, Flaky fussed with her shirt. With all the fidgeting she did, the girl worried it would crawl up and expose her skin. She was incredibly self-conscious and easily embarrassed. She was already quite warm, but decided to slip on her jacket, to lessen her concerns. It was large on her small frame, so it reached down and covered plenty of her back. Although she felt a bit toasty now, the covering gave her an ounce of reassurance, and allowed her to relax.

She remained silent and watched her friends' laughing faces. She accepted the invitation to dinner, even though she rarely contributed to the conversation. Flaky wasn't particularly interesting. She didn't have anything funny or amusing to offer. The redhead had tried to chime in on a few occasions, but they were fruitless attempts.

"You're too dull." She would think to herself. "You know you're not entertaining like them. Don't even bother trying." So she continued to stay quiet.

"Cuddles! Oh my God, pay attention. You're going to catch fire." Petunia warned the boy as she pushed his hand aside. He was reaching across the table for a napkin, but his sleeve lingered dangerously close to a candle. As an extra precaution, Petunia moved the flaming wax further from him.

The blond boy smiled sheepishly. "Sorry!" He apologized while retracting his arm. "I'll try not to set the place on fire. Although, that's gonna be pretty tough-"

"Don't." Petunia sighed, already seeing the joke from a mile away.

Despite its predictable ending, and his friend's protest, he finished his sentence anyways. "Because I'm so damn hot." He boasted humorously.

Flaky smiled at their exchange before pushing her chair out. "Excuse me," The girl chimed as she rose from her seat.

Petunia threw a playful glare over to Cuddles. "Look what you did, you scared her off." She remarked with a smile.

The redhead turned back to them and chuckled nervously. "Oh no, he didn't do anything wrong. I'll be back." She reassured them before departing for the restroom.

The blue-haired girl proceeded to exchange a glance with her male friend. "I love her to death, but she's so..." She waved her hand around as if she could pluck the right word from the air.

Cuddles attempted to guess. "Shy?"

"Well... Yeah. She's just really awkward." Petunia stated while twisting her fork in her spaghetti. She paused and took a second to wipe some sauce off the border of her plate.

"I know. I don't wanna make her feel uncomfortable, but..." He rubbed the back of his head. It was difficult to have a good time when someone was constantly uneasy.

"Flaky's kind of quiet." The boy added. "I feel bad that she just sits there and listens to us the whole time."

"Me, too. I hope we're not boring her." Petunia murmured.

"Wait. Boring?" That sounded like a nightmare to Cuddles. Apparently they couldn't wait for their shy friend to jump into the conversation. They'd have to prompt her first. "Let's focus on Flaky when she comes back." He suggested. "What kind of stuff should we ask her?"

"Well..." Petunia grinned and made a steeple with her fingers.

He seemed worried by the glint in her eyes. "You're, uh... Don't scare her off, now."

"I won't!"


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2

After facing an obstacle course of servers and other customers, Flaky finally returned to her seat. Although, she noticed something odd. Petunia and Cuddles had both trained their attention towards her. "Did I miss anything?"

"Well, I didn't set the restaurant on fire." Cuddles announced with a grin.

"Yet." Petunia chimed light-heartedly.

The boy leaned forward and rested his arms on the table. "Hey Flaky, you still work at the grocery store, right?"

"Mhm." She nodded in response. "For almost eight months now." Which was a miracle to her. She was extremely hesitant to leave her house. Even for small errands, like fetching the mail or refilling her tank. Horrible possibilities regularly crept into her head. A truck could hit her, and drag her body down the road, scraping off large patches of skin. A lamp post could fall and crack her skull open, or snap her spine and leave her paralyzed.

Second thoughts and morbid scenarios nearly prevented this interaction; Cuddles had to yank her into the car.

It took a lot of convincing for Flaky to abandon the comfort of her home. She wasn't very skilled at persuading herself. Pep talks were useless. More often than not, her worrisome thoughts would triumph over her rational mind. Flaky was often late, as a result. Like a coward, the redhead would shakily pick up her phone, and sorrowfully tell her manager that she couldn't make it. Honestly, she was surprised she hadn't been fired yet.

"Do you get along with your co-workers?" Petunia inquired.

"Yeah, how do you work with Disco as a boss?" Cuddles asked.

"It's uh..." Flaky glanced to her plate and fiddled with her parmesan. Disco was an extremely laid-back manager. His lax attitude was probably the reason she still had a job. "It's not that bad." The incessant flirting and dancing was a bit much, though.

"You and Toothy work together, right?" The blue-haired lady interjected.

"Mhm. I showed him the ropes." Flaky chimed with a faint hint of pride. She might have been an unreliable employee, regarding her poor attendance, but she did enjoy acting as a mentor to new members. She could teach what little she did know, and be helpful for a brief moment. "He's gotten better than me, by now. Hehe..." The redhead chuckled quietly.

Dealing with customers wasn't her forte. Toothy generally excelled with people, and managed to stay calm when dealing with mean ones. Flaky just broke down and cried, before she was ushered to the break room. It was a shameful tendency of hers. However, it did result in a quick escape from uncomfortable situations.

"Do you think he's cute?" Petunia mused with a smile.

Flaky blinked in response. "Huh?" Toothy? Cute? Yeah, for a guy with buck teeth. After a while, she got used to them. She honestly didn't think about her co-workers that way, though. "Sure, I guess. I don't really pay attention to that sort of stuff." The redhead stated quietly. As her two friends exchanged glances, she released another nervous laugh.

"C'mon, you've gotta like somebody." Cuddles pried.

"Well, I don't dislike anyone." The girl paused. Except for Lifty and Shifty. She didn't enjoy being robbed by them. Then there was Handy, who was easily irritated by her timid demeanor. Lumpy was a moron. It was exhausting to be around Nutty. Mime was a strange guy. Oh boy, now that Flaky thought about it, there was quite a few people that she found repellent.

Petunia continued with her investigation. "How about Mole? Or Russell?"

The reclusive girl simply gazed around the restaurant, as her friend went down the list.

"Sniffles? Flippy?"

Flaky shook her head. "It's no use, guys." She protested.

Petunia had a smirk upon her features. The willowy female leaned back in her chair, and glimpsed at Cuddles. "She stopped at Flippy."

"That doesn't mean anything!" The redhead hissed at her. She was tempted to cover her face in embarrassment, but kept her hands balled up, and pressed against her lap.

"It's the only name you reacted to!" Cuddles remarked with a broad grin.

She started turning red. "I don't like anyone!"

"When's the last time you two spoke?" Cuddles inquired in a nosy manner.

"We uh..." The girl had to think for a moment. "Last month, I think. At the grocery store." She was working the register that day. And Flippy just had to choose her lane, of course. He approached with a pleasant smile, and a friendly wave.

"Afternoon, Flaky." The veteran had greeted. She only nodded in response, and rushed to get his items bagged so she could move onto the next customer. The girl realized this seemed rude, and she did feel like an awful jerk for it.

He was two heads taller than her, and powerfully built with a sturdy frame. Despite his gentle demeanor, she always felt intimated by him. It was mainly due to his... Other side.

It was sad, really. He was a genuinely good person, but when he returned to Happy Tree Town, he brought something else with him. In an instant, he could snap and disembowel his childhood friends, with horrible enthusiasm. And he had done just that, numerous times. The man would apologize profusely the next day, and most would be understanding and forgiving. It was something out of his control; although, he desperately tried to prevent it.

Flaky was terrified of him. The other townsfolk could seemingly forgive and forget, but she remembered every instance with clarity. She had been stabbed, skinned, and burned alive, and murdered in various, other creative ways. Then she'd have to listen to Flippy express his regret.

"It's okay." She would say dishonestly.

To have a crush on Flippy was suicidal. He was easy on the eyes and a well mannered man, but none of that would matter when he went on a murderous rampage. There were too many variables that could provoke him. Popcorn, sharp objects, loud noises. Things were bound to go terribly wrong, especially in this town, where every day was a gory disaster. He had her pity. It was tragic to live in such a volatile state.

He was one of the kindest people she knew, until he snapped, of course. She wished she could ignore that looming threat, but with her anxious mind, it was impossible.


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3

Flaky enjoyed her time with her friends. Despite being embarrassed by some topics, it was an overall decent night. Except, she was still hungry. And quite bummed about wasting money on a crummy meal. She decided not to catch a ride with Cuddles and Petunia, so she could grab a snack at the grocery store. They waved, blew kisses, then departed from each other.

The parking lot was nearly empty, yet the sky above was crowded with twinkling lights. She admired them during her journey to the entrance. Upon setting foot inside, she received a cool blast of air that upset a few tufts of red hair. She brushed the strands from her eyes, selected a buggy, then proceeded to stroll through the establishment.

Her gaze occasionally wandered, and she recognized some familiar faces. Pops stood in the cereal isle, appearing rather drained, as Cub napped in the toddler's seat. She hoped the man and his child would make it home safely tonight. Misfortune constantly plagued the father and son.

Unsurprisingly, Nutty was bouncing around the candy area. Gleeful and crazed, he snatched bags of sweets from their shelves, and recklessly tossed them into his cart. Hopefully he wouldn't attempt to make a mad dash for the exit, without paying first. Or end up devouring everything before he reached the check-out line. The lunatic was a pain to deal with, and a regular one. Flaky was constantly sweeping up wrappers behind him.

After browsing the cold items, the runty girl selected a small case of strawberry yogurt. However, as Flaky backed up, she felt herself bump into someone. There was a rush of fabric, and a male voice. "Excuse me." He spoke hastily like retreating night.

By the time she turned her head, the man had already went around the corner and to the next isle. "Oh, sorry..." The girl called out. She was partly thankful that he left in such a hurry, as her face had flared up in embarrassment.

Flaky tried to forget her blunder as she approached the check-out section. Miscellaneous items were loaded into her buggy: a few bowls of ramen, cherries, broccoli, ingredients for pasta. She had been meaning to go shopping for about a week now. A smile graced her pale features, after spotting a purple-haired boy with buckteeth at the counter.

"Good evening, ma'am."

"Hello, stranger." Flaky giggled in response.

"Feel like clocking in?" Toothy jokingly asked, before he proceeded to scan her groceries.

She made a displeased expression and shook her head. "No thank you, kind sir."

"Ah, that's a pity." The boy grinned before announcing her total. "$30.46."

He watched as she dug through her pocket. Then the clerk arched a brow after she checked her second one. Oh no.

Flaky went up and down the isles, thinking she had dropped her wallet by accident. After repeated searches, she had to return to the counter, head hanging down in shame. The redhead noticed that Toothy's gaze was directed elsewhere. Curiously, she followed his eyes. Up ahead, near the store entrance, she spotted Lifty and Shifty leaving.

"What a pair of bastards." Toothy muttered in disapproval. He released a sigh and offered a look of empathy. "It's okay, Flaky. I'll take care of it."

"No, no-" His co-worker waved her hands in disfavor of the offer. "You don't have to do that." She would die of embarrassment.

He persisted. "I don't mind; you can just pay me back some other time. Besides, we both know those jerks are responsible."

"Yeah..." Her brown eyes returned to the twins. This really wasn't shaping up to be her night.

Toothy was surprised to see her abandon the pile of groceries. "Flakes?" He called out uncertainly.

Hopelessly, the scraggly girl followed after the thieves. She was internally screaming at herself the whole time. What could she do? Flaky had no idea how to confront them. She could turn around, and go home, with empty pockets and a disappointed belly. Like a spineless weakling.

She continued to march after them, determined to avenge herself.

The brothers took notice of this red shadow, and exchanged a glance with each other. Usually after being caught, Lifty and Shifty would take off like a bolt of lightning. But this was Flaky. And this behavior was incredibly abnormal of her. Rather than rushing away, their curiosity allowed them to linger. The two males stopped walking altogether, and tilted their heads at the scrawny urchin.

Lifty was the shorter brother; he adorned a green scarf, short-sleeve dress shirt, and black vest. Shifty wore a fedora and a trench coat, over his white long-sleeve. And of course, both of them wore a dark green mask, which they rarely took off.

She eventually caught up to the twins, and stood in place like a frail statue.

"Great. Now what?"

Flaky hadn't planned on this reaction. She was secretly hoping that they would have ran off. At the least, she would have felt a bit of pride by making them scurry, and flee shamefully. Yet here they stood, staring down at her expectantly. Their complacent expressions deflated her fleeting ounce of courage.

"You took something from me..." Her voice was nearly a whisper.

Shifty leaned forward. "What was that? Speak up, kid."

That was hardly fair. She was only a year younger than them, but didn't feel inclined to argue.

Lifty winked at her, while Shifty appeared rather irritated.

She decided to rethink her next words, and scrambled to find some composure. "My wallet is missing..." She was just stating facts, not yet bold enough to leap right into accusations. Even though they were the undeniable culprits.

"Congratulations." Shifty brusquely replied. He crossed his arms and drew his brows together, which made Flaky want to curl up into a tiny ball and roll away in regret.

"I... I'd like it back." She somehow managed to claim without squeaking.

Lifty wore an amused grin at this exchange, his eyes darted between the redhead and his sibling. "C'mon, let her have it." The mischievous boy snickered and knocked his arm against his brother's.

"Does it look something like this?" Shifty held up a plain wallet.

Flaky could still recognize its faded color and the familiar cracks in its leather. If she opened it up, she was certain she could find her ID and her library card. She wasn't keen on getting another copy.

The wretch swallowed and nodded. "Yes, I believe that's-" Her eyes widened as the fellow abruptly stuffed the wallet into the front of his trousers.

"Well come on, take it." He tauntingly encouraged.

Suddenly, getting a copy didn't seem so bad anymore. It wasn't worth it. Flaky turned around and departed, face reddening as laughter erupted from the twins. The humiliation was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

"God, I'm so pathetic..." She thought to herself.


End file.
